Study Finds Menopause Symptoms Can Be PredictedThe number of eggs left in a woman's ovaries are like the grains of sand in an hourglass, ticking away the hours on her biological clock.Researchers now say they may be able to predict when that clock will wind down. And while doctors can't actually count the number of eggs in an ovary, they can measure ovarian volume. British researchers say there's a direct correlation between the two, and by measuring ovarian volume with transvaginal ultrasound, doctors should be able to predict when menopause will set in and how many fertile years a woman has left. According to the study authors, this information will revolutionize the care of women looking for assisted reproductive technologies, including those who were treated for childhood cancers as well as women who want to put off starting a family for whatever reason. Although information still needs to be validated in clinical studies, its benefit is most likely to start with women who are being treated for cancer and women attending fertility clinics, said Tom Kelsey, co-author of the study appearing June 17 in the journal Human Reproduction. "If women looking for some sort of assisted conception and their physicians know that they've got a long time till menopause, then you could plan for a range of treatments," said Kelsey, who is a senior research fellow at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. "If you knew menopause was likely in four to five years, you'd plan a different set of IVF [in vitro fertilization] treatments." Others reiterate, however, that the findings should be treated with caution. "Should a young woman who is 30 years old go for a test to figure out whether she's got three, five or 10 years left on her fertility? Should she make career decisions and life decisions? Are these data good enough to make those determinations?" asked Dr. Alan Copperman, director of reproductive medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. "The answer is obviously no to all of those questions. The predictive value of this test is not good enough to go and tell someone to change their life." According to the article, eggs form in a female's ovary while she is still in the womb, peaking at several million about halfway through gestation and then starting a continuous decline. At birth, there are several hundred thousand and, when menstruation begins, about 300,000. At about age 37, a woman has about 25,000 eggs left, and at menopause only about 1,000. The time at which menopause sets in is widely believed to be based on the number of eggs reaching a critically low threshold. The authors of this study measured ovarian volume with transvaginal ultrasound, then looked at the relationship between ovarian volume -- ovaries shrink as a woman ages -- and number of eggs. They then applied mathematical and computer models to predict menopause. The study authors are negotiating with a medical school to set up clinical trials. The idea would be to follow women to see if their predictions were indeed correct. While these authors have come up with a tool to potentially help women plan their lives, a second study in the same issue of Human Reproduction warned that women might not want to leave it too late. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) could not be relied upon to fully compensate for lack of natural fertility after the age of 35, the article stated. The authors used a computer simulation model to determine that the overall success rate of assisted reproductive technology would be 30 percent for those attempting to get pregnant from age 30, 24 percent for those trying from age 35, and 17 percent from age 40. SOURCES: Tom Kelsey, Ph.D., senior research fellow, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Scotland; Alan Copperman, M.D., director, reproductive medicine, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York; June 17, 2004, Human Reproduction |
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For Patients For some, perimenopause tied to higher depression risk.(Across Specialties) from Clinical Psychiatry News in Health provided by Find Articles. For some, perimenopause tied to higher depression risk.(Across Women with a history of depression are more likely to experience perimenopause -- the transition into menopause -- sooner than other women. Perimenopause Depression, Peri Menopause Depression The perimenopausal years, when women transition from regular cycling to termination of ovulation and menstruation, have long been recognized as a time of Perimenopause and Depression: More Evidence of Increased Risk Progesterone, the other major female hormone, does not by itself treat or prevent perimenopausal depression or physical symptoms. Depression and perimenopause >> Medical Questions, Weight Loss As women transition through perimenopause, their risk of depression triples, even if they have no prior history of major depressive disorder, according to Articles: Depression During Perimenopause - Women Living Naturally Many women will face perimenopause depression in one level of harshness or the other. Those that are facing depression of any type need to take note of Estrogen replacement in perimenopause-related depression: a Hi, my wife has all the symptoms of perimenopause. But what worries me most is her depression. She is quiet and sad 24/7 and I donâ™t know how to help her. perimenopause and depression - Women's Health - MedHelp CONCLUSION: In this preliminary study estradiol replacement effectively treats perimenopausal depression independent of its salutary effects on vasomotor Risk of Depression Increases During Perimenopause Depression during perimenopause and menopause is treated in much the same way as depression that strikes at any other time; however, there is a growing body Perimenopause, Menopause and Depression Learning about depression and anxiety during perimenopause will help you manage them in a comfortable way. Depression and anxiety during perimenopause perimenopause and depression. Forum: The Women's Health Forum . hi i am 48 and perimenopausal. i also experience depressionAdolescent depression Premenstrual Symptoms and Perimenopausal Depression -- Richards et Women who entered perimenopause during the study period were three times more likely to develop depressive symptoms than were those whose menstrual cycles Depression and sadness in perimenopause and menopause One of the causes of depression is hormonal imbalance. We provide natural help for depression by helping the body to produce more serotonin. USATODAY.com - Perimenopause could cause serious first-time depression A woman's odds of developing depression for the first time increase greatly during perimenopause, a time of irregular periods and hormonal shifts before Perimenopause Some of the symptoms of depression are found in both PMS and perimenopause. Depression is not caused by menopause, but it can run in families. Do you suffer from perimenopause depression, anxiety, anger, and Ideally, women with perimenopause depression, anxiety, anger and mood swings should exercise a minimum of 30 minutes three to four days each week. A new National Institute of Mental Health study looks at The perimenopausal years are infamous for hot flashes and moodswings, among other symptoms. Life Cycle and Depression: Perimenopause OBJECTIVE: The role of ovarian steroids in both premenstrual dysphoria and perimenopausal depression has led to the suggestion that these conditions |
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